Both involved in the multi-club scrap for Premier League survival, Bournemouth and an improving Nottingham Forest side clash at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
While Forest have won three of their last five league games to pull clear of the drop zone, their hosts occupy 17th place in the table following a 2-0 defeat at Brentford last time out.
Match preview
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Having been unbeaten in their first six Premier League matches under Gary O'Neil, the subsequent decline of his Bournemouth side has been steep: after last week's loss in London, they have been beaten in eight of their last nine.
Only a 3-0 win over fellow strugglers Everton has split two streaks of four straight defeats, and the Cherries are looking particularly short of ideas in the final third.
They have lost their last four by an aggregate score of 9-0, and the South Coast club have never before lost five on the spin without scoring in the top flight; illustrating the size of the task facing O'Neil at the season's halfway stage.
Despite the promise of fresh funds from Bournemouth's new owners, movement of players either in or out has been in short supply so far this month, and a team also eliminated from the FA Cup by Championship pace-setters Burnley is clearly bereft of confidence.
As no Premier League ground has seen fewer goals than the Vitality Stadium this season (19), and only Wolves (six) have netted fewer at home, O'Neil would surely prioritise reinforcements up front if offered a say on the matter.
Nottingham Forest, though, have scored just twice in their nine away fixtures since promotion, and Bournemouth have recent history on their side too: four wins from their last five against Forest include the clubs' only previous top-flight meeting, in September.
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On that occasion, at the City Ground, the Cherries came from two behind to win 3-2, amid a dispiriting start to life back among the English elite for the two-time European champions.
Homegrown hero Brennan Johnson scored from the penalty spot in that bitter defeat, but his more recent performances - and those of his teammates - have reached another level; transforming Forest into a team to be reckoned with.
The Reds have won their last two Premier League games, beating Southampton 1-0 and Leicester 2-0, and seeing off their East Midlands rivals on home soil will have been particularly sweet for their long-suffering fans.
Twice, Johnson was teed up to score by an increasingly influential Morgan Gibbs-White - the club's record signing - and Forest have now averaged nearly two points per game over their past six outings.
At the midpoint of their top-flight return, Steve Cooper's hastily-assembled squad sit 13th in the league table and are also anticipating next month's EFL Cup semi-final tie against Manchester United, so surely expect to return to Nottingham with all three points on Saturday night.
Team News
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Already lacking firepower in the final third, Bournemouth are expecting to be without first-choice forward Dominic Solanke again, as he struggles to overcome a knee injury which ruled him out of the defeat at Brentford. Therefore, Wales striker Kieffer Moore should start again.
Marcus Tavernier is still sidelined, while Jamal Lowe has been sent out on loan, but the Cherries have at least agreed a deal to sign Lorient winger Dango Ouattara, who will become the Bill Foley era's first arrival.
Set to move to England for a fee in the region of £20million, the 20-year-old has scored six goals in 18 Ligue 1 appearances this season. However, due to work permit issues, he is not available on Saturday.
Nottingham Forest's absentee list now features number one goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who was consigned to the treatment table until March after suffering a thigh tear last week; Wayne Hennessey will deputise once again.
Willy Boly, Cheikhou Kouyate, Jesse Lingard and Moussa Niakhate are all out too, and Taiwo Awoniyi is now set to be unavailable to Steve Cooper for longer than initially expected. Forced off after scoring the winner against Southampton earlier this month, a groin problem may keep the former Union Berlin man out of contention for a few games yet.
In his absence, Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White should partner each other in the visitors' attack, Johnson is now the club's joint-top scorer (four), while Gibbs-White has recorded as many assists (also four) as every other Forest player combined. New loan signing Chris Wood is likely to start on the bench.
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Neto; Stacey, Mepham, Senesi, Kelly; Christie, Pearson, Lerma, Anthony; Billing; Moore
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Hennessey; Aurier, Worrall, McKenna, Lodi; Mangala, Yates, Freuler; Scarpa; Gibbs-White, Johnson
We say: Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest
All five of Nottingham Forest's Premier League victories this season have been to nil, and they have failed to win any of the 13 games in which they conceded at least once. That trend may continue in a low-scoring draw on the South Coast, which would at least stop the rot for a free-falling Bournemouth side.
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